Investigation of the photoelectron decay of silver halide microcrystal

Abstract

The microwave absorption dielectric spectrum can be used to study the decay process of free photoelectrons and shallow-trapped electrons in semiconductor crystals. The decay curve of free photoelectrons and shallow-trapped electrons of silver halide grains is measured using this technique. The influence of iodide and K4Fe(CN)6 shallow electron trap dopants on the photoelectron lifetime of silver halide grains is studied. For the unsensitized cubic AgCl crystals, when the free photoelectron lifetime (FLT) reaches a maximum, the photographic efficiency is optimal. From our analysis, we conclude that FLT is the longest for the cubic AgCl crystals doped with 0.5% iodide at 80% doping position and 1×10−6 mol K4Fe(CN)6/molAg, whereas, for the highly photosensitized cubic AgBrCl crystals doped with K4Fe(CN)6, the photographic efficiency is optimal when the FLT reaches its minimum. The free photoelectron lifetime reaches minimum and the sensitivity of AgBrCl emulsion reaches maximum when the doping position is 30%Ag at K4Fe(CN)6 content of 10−6mol/molAg.